My Learnings & Gratitudes: 2019 Recap
On the morning of 1st Jan 2019, I had the first meeting of the day with my friend, partner & investor — Mustafa Minhas. I was excited to make 2019 a great year of learning & growth — so convinced him to pay 😅 for my two online course of Investment Banking & Financial Analyst. I am sharing a secret with you that — both the courses are unfinished yet 🙈
First things First — some important gratitudes 🙏— to our partners-in-innovation journey British Council Pakistan, Cranfield University UK, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Pegasus Ventures (Startup World Cup), DBTV, NUML Islamabad, LCWU Lahore, LGU Lahore and last but not least AJK University.
In January we launched Pakistan’s First Social & Creative Incubation Program at NUML Islamabad & LCWU Lahore — with support from British Council DICE Fund. Our partners include Cranfield School of Management UK. Development of Inclusive Economies will help Pakistan to achieve SDGs by 2030. Empowering two public sector Universities and especially LCWU (Asia’s Largest Female School) has been a great honor.
Working with NUML has been a pleasure and Dr Gulfam Baghoor has been a great supporter in Innovation journey from Ideas Lab, NUML to DBTV interview. Amir Jahangir has been a great friend and mentor in this journey.
In May at Murree, Industrial, Incubation and Startup Pakistan Program / Prime Minister Youth Program (PMYP) Leadership attended Innovation Ecosystem Summit to discuss innovation strategies to stimulate stagnant economic growth of Pakistan & to create jobs. Mr. Usman Dar, Chairman PM Youth Program was Chief Guest for the Program.
Hosting Nabeel A Qadeer as Chief guest for Cohort-1 graduation in September at Lahore College for Women University (Asia’s Largest Female School) was a great experience.
Hosting Mr. Asad Umar as Chief guest for Cohort-1 graduation in September at NUML Islamabad, was a great honor for Center for Global Innovators.
In October 2019, it was a great experience to Talk to ARY News program Bakhabar Savera hosts Shafaat Ali and Madiha Naqvi on Entrepreneurship.
Launching our third Incubation Program at Lahore Garrison University was an out-of-the-worexperiencence. Can’t by more happy. 01-Nov-2019 & LGU will stay on my mind for a good while to come. Maj Gen Obaid Bin Zakria, VC Lahore Garrison University, has been a great mentor, teacher & guru.
In November, Speaking at World Incubation Summit (WIS19) in Qatar was an awesome opportunity. Meeting Incubation people from around the world was a great learning experience.
With Pakistan delegation at World Incubation Summit (WIS19) in Qatar.
November brought the best opportunities to learn & grow — gave a TED Talk about “Being Fearless: Failure Builds Character” at IIU Islamabad.
Yes December is bringing one more excitement — as CGI is signing AJK University Muzaffarabad for our Fourth Incubation Program in a year, on 31st December— can’t ask for better finish to 2019.
Thanks to a young amazing team at CGI for punching way above their weight. I am thankful to all the friends, supporters, mentors — business partners, who made 2019 a great year for us! Happy New Year to all & We wish you all the success in 2020. I can promise you, we are just getting started and the Big Dream: is to make Pakistan a Top-50 Innovative Nation.
About the Author: Imran Jattala is Co-Founder of Center for Global Innovators (CGI) — Innovation Consulting with the design thinking mindset of IDEO, and the business capability of McKinsey, all of that combined with the entrepreneurial spirit of the best startups. With a mission to build Knowledge Economy & to make Pakistan Top-50 Innovative Nation. He tweets at: @ImJattala
